Order of Operations Advice

[Bay Rum Around]

Frank's Fingerboard Top Crack has been my guide in dealing with an MD-12 that has the same issue but one addition--the soundboard has split along the centerline below the bridge, peeling up (see photos.) In what order should these be addressed? Do I first "stretch" the soundboard into position using Frank's method? Or does the lower bout's crack need to dealt with before that?

Thanks.

[Greg Mirken]

If the open center seam all lines up nicely I would tend to that first.

[Frank Ford]

I'm with Greg -   I'd stabilize the rest of the body structure before cranking back on the neck to realign the crack along the fingerboard.

[Bay Rum Around]

Thanks for the comment. Just looking it over with the quick grip pinching the top, it doesn't look like the crack's halves will meet. I suppose a consequence of the wood shrinking process. 

[Greg Mirken]

What happened to this instrument? Did it get baked? Is it dry as a bone?

Before you do anything I think it needs to spend a week or two with a few humidifiers in the case so you can tell if the top is going to close up. If it is as dry as it looks, I would suspect also back braces are loose at the ends. The body needs to be stable and solid before you start trying to apply force to the neck.

[Bay Rum Around]

Hey Greg, appreciate that. I think it must have had its cholent sessions sitting in an apparently sunny spot. It's a good little project, though could use another week in the case, as you say.